Springbok captain John Smit believes last weekend’s victory over Australia in Pretoria has given his team a platform to build on for this weekend’s follow-up Vodacom Tri-Nations clash at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.

Winger Drew Mitchell and hooker Stephen Moore will make their 50th Test appearances after being named today in the Qantas Wallabies side for Saturday’s Mandela Plate Test against South Africa at Bloemfontein.

Springbok fullback Frans Steyn is too good a player just to leave on the sidelines and therefore it wasn’t a difficult choice to include him the starting line-up for Saturday’s Vodacom Tri-Nations Test match against Australia at Loftus Versfeld.

The return of Quade Cooper to the flyhalf position represents the only change to the Wallabies starting XV for Saturday night’s Tri Nations Series match against South Africa in Pretoria, from that which appeared against New Zealand earlier in the month.

Earlier today we mentioned that there might be some revelations from within the Bok camp, unfortunately the press conference delivered very little but the biggest surprise might only come when the team is named to take on the Wallabies.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has warned his players of the dangers of confronting the wounded South African beast after the Springboks lost in the final minutes to the All Blacks in Soweto on Saturday.

John Smit’s former coaches at Pretoria Boys High, Paul Anthony and Jannie Biddulph, presented the Springboks with their match jerseys today ahead of tomorrow’s Vodacom Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks.

Frans Steyn will not be available for selection for the Springboks’ Test against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium on 21 August, it was confirmed by Andy Marinos, SARU’s manager of national teams, at a media conference on Thursday.

Six All Blacks have been released for provincial action this weekend, while Liam Messam and Richard Kahui are the unlucky squad members to miss the trip to Johannesburg for next weekend’s Test against the Springboks.

The Springbok selectors have named a training squad of 29 players to attend a four-day camp in Johannesburg next week in preparation for the home leg of the Vodacom Tri-Nations tournament, which kicks off on August 21.

They have given the rugby world a beautiful reminder, an aesthetically pleasing wake-up call. Rugby remains a great game when running, handling and passing are the pre-eminent philosophies, not kicking.

What a prospect this match is! Miss it and spend the rest of your rugby days regretting it. It just could be greatest match of all time. If you look at the three Tri-Nations matches this year, it suggests that this will be a miraculous match between two evenly-matched, skilful and adventurous teams.

Allister Coetzee has called on Springbok supporters to back their team during this difficult time and he is confident the Boks can “fix the potholes” in the home leg of the Tri-Nations. (RW Note: This is how you do it Jake…)

The Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) announced on Tuesday that all available tickets for the Vodacom Tri-Nations Test between the Springboks and New Zealand on August 21 at National Stadium (formerly Soccer City) in Johannesburg have been sold.